Bill Gates warns AI could be used to trigger 'a billion deaths,' urges regulation

Bill Gates warns AI could be used to trigger 'a billion deaths,' urges regulation

by EMMA KOPPELMAN | The National News Desk

(TNND) — Artificial intelligence is now powerful enough to cause catastrophic harm, Bill Gates warned, saying malicious actors could use advanced AI tools to drive events that result in “a billion deaths.”

Gates said voluntary safeguards by AI companies are not sufficient and called for government regulation, law enforcement involvement, and political oversight. His comments were released in a preview of an interview set to air Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Gates said AI is unlike any previous weapon because of the potential combination of powerful technology and people with harmful intent. The warning comes amid a broader debate over whether frontier AI development should slow while safety measures catch up.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has also called for stronger standards and government involvement in AI safety.

President Donald Trump has publicly pushed back on additional AI guardrails, while congressional leaders have not yet advanced major federal AI legislation. Gates’ comments come ahead of a planned meeting between Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and AI executives, though the agenda has not been announced.